Sibling Topic Avoidance in Emerging Adulthood: Associations with Sibling Communication Patterns, Interference/Facilitation, and Topic Avoidance Motivations

ABSTRACT Sibling topic avoidance was examined from the perspective of family communication patterns, relational turbulence theory, and topic avoidance. Respondents (n = 291) completed a survey on sibling communication patterns, interference/facilitation, topic avoidance motivations, and topics avoided. Sibling conversation orientation positively predicted facilitation, and negatively predicted interference, topic avoidance motivations, and topic avoidance. Sibling conformity orientation positively predicted interference and topic avoidance motivations. Topic avoidance motivations mediated links between sibling communication patterns and topics avoided. Implications and future directions are discussed.